Undergarment.



W. BRANNAN.

UNDERGARMENT.

APPucAfloN man Aufms. 191e.

Patnd June 26, 1917.

@Mum/Mw hereinafter described and particularly pointentren snare naar onirica.

WILLAM BRANNAN, 0F NEMVARK, NEW JERSEY.

Unnnneannnnr.

. To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM BRANNAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented newv and useful Improvements in Undergarments, of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to an undergar-- sites side of the fastening ily openingsadapted to be closed by flaps so arranged with relation to each other and connected with the undergarment in such a manner that under normal conditions the flaps serve as pouches in which the breasts are supported and when partially disconnected from the undergarment allow the breasts to be passed through said openings for nursing purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide an under body of this character in which a pair of front sections containing the breast supportingflaps are connected with a back sectionthrough the medium of shoulder loops and lacings threaded through eyelets in lacing dies at the sides of the front and `back sections and extending from the arm openings to the Waist line of the undergarment, thus rendering the garment eXtensible and especially serviceable for use of women during the gestation period.

l With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel combination and arrangement of parts which willy be ed out in the claims.

The preferred embodiment of the invenvtion has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing, although no restriction is necessarily madel tothe precise .details of construction therein" shown, as changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired.

Like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of an undergarment constructed in accordance with Specification of Letters Patent. 'lllat'ttmjctjl Jun@ 26, llflllo Application led August 29, 1916.

Serial No. 117,511.

Referring now to the drawing in detail,

the numeral l designates the improved nndergarment as a whole which comprises a back section 2 permanently connected with front sections 3 and 4 through the medium of shoulder loops 5, providing the undergarmentwwith arm holes 6.

The opposed side edges of the front and back sections are provided with lacing flies 7 extending from the arm holes to the waist line of the undergarment and containing flexible stiillening strips 7', said flies are provided with eyes 8 through which are passed laces 9 'and by means of which the undergarment is rendered eXtensible. The free side edges of the front sections 3 and lare provided with fastening flies l0, the fly l0 on the front section 3 being adapted to overlie the fastening fly l0 on the. front section t and is provided with a row of fastening elements ll adapted to be engaged with suitable fastening elements 12 on the fly, l0 of the section 4.

Each of the front sections 3 and lcom prises an upper member 13 and a lower member 14 arranged in spaced relation and connected by the flies 7 and l0 on said sections in such a manner that an opening l5 is formed therein midway between the neck and waist line of said section and extending transversely between said flies, said upper section being of such length and shape as to provide a closing flap 17 for said opening.

The Hiss 7 and l0 adjacent the openings 15, and the upper edge of the lower sections M are provided with fastening members 18 adapted to be engaged by suitable fastening members 19 on the inner faces of the closlng Haps 17 adjacentthe free edges thereof, said flaps having formed therein darts 20 which when the flapsare in closed position enable .the same to assume the shape of pouches for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The upper side edge of each lower section 14 has secured thereto the lower edge of a supporting iap 22, the endsof which are connected with the flies 7 and 10 on the front sections withd the upper edge of the flap arranged adjacent to the lowermost dart 20 in the closing flaps' 17, said supporting iaps 22 being provided with draw strings 23, by means of which the supporting flaps may be shaped in the form of a. pouch to correspond to the shape 'of the pouch formed by the closing iaps 17 in which the supporting flaps are adapted to be arranged. The supporting iaps 22 lare preferably formed of net so that the pouches formed by the flaps may be properly ventilated.

From the above described manner of arranging and connecting the flaps 17 and 22 with the upper and lower members of the front sections, it will be seen that under;

normal conditions the flaps serve as pouches for supporting the breasts, and that when it is desired to pass the breasts through the openings 15 for nursing purposes, the closing flaps 17 may be disconnected from the flies 7 and-10 and the lower members lll-and the aps 22 removed from the breasts.v i

When the iaps 17 and 22 are again restored to their normal position, itwill be seen that the openings 15 will be closed and that said aps will serve as an efective support for the breasts, while the laces 9 which connect the front and back sections permit the extension of the undergarment when worn during the period 'of gestation. The draw strings 23 permit the size of` the pouches to be regulated during and after I the period of pregnancy.

From the foregoing description*- taken in Alower members and iiies, v v

In testimonyl whereof I alix my signature, 1 WILLIAMBRANNAN. Y

connection with the accompanying-drawing, it is at once apparent that an undergarment has been provided 'which though simple in construction and, therefore, inexpensive of ing flaps for said openings on said upper seci tions removably connected4 with said ies. y

and the lower sections, and supporting flaps underlying said closing aps and connected with the lower sections and flies. Y 2. An undergarment comprising a back section, front sections arranged upon opposite sides of the back section 'and including upper and lower members arrangedA spaced relation to provide openings in the y Afront sections, iies connecting said upper and lower members, means for adjustably connecting said frontl sections with the back section, flaps onv the upper members for closing said openings removably connected with said flies' and the lower members, supporting fla-ps having connection with the 'lower members and flies and underlying the first mentioned flaps, andA means 'for forming pouches,l of the `flaps connected A,with the 

